Bill Plaschke: If Clay Helton's days coaching the Trojans are over, USC needs to hire from outside the family

LOS ANGELES_As a late Saturday afternoon chill descended upon his latest nightmare, Clay Helton disappeared into a Rose Bowl tunnel underneath USC fans wildly flapping their hands.

They were waving him good-bye.

Helton later walked into a corridor that had been filled with a baritone voice resonating in anger.

"(Bleep) Helton!" chanted a man from the bleachers above. "Fire Helton!"

If Saturday in Pasadena wasn't the precise end of Clay Helton's career as USC coach, you could certainly see it from here.

In the wake of the season's most embarrassing loss in its biggest game, a 34-27 defeat to UCLA, it seems impossible that Helton will keep his job beyond next week's season finale